Gaming company sues nine people including a teen for cheating in its game

The rogue gamers had reportedly been involved in designing, selling or using computer codes that enabled users to cheat and beat other competitors while playing the popular game

Nine people including a teenager have been sued by a video game company for allegedly cheating in a popular video game.

South China Morning Post has reported that North Carolina-based Epic Games has sued gamers hailing from the US, Sweden and South Africa among others for making hacks into its highly popular ‘Fortnite’ survival video game, that is played by over one crore people around the globe.

The rogue gamers had reportedly been involved in designing, selling or using computer codes that enabled users to cheat and beat other competitors while playing the popular game.

The cheats enabled them to see through solid objects which help them outwit and outplay any opponent they face. Other cheats also reinforce people with abilities such as the power to impersonate other players and make moves that others can’t, thus making them virtually unbeatable. This, according to the lawsuits filed by the company, not only spoils the gaming experience of other players but also affect the profits of the makers.

related news

Epic Games spokesman Nick Chester was quoted saying in the report that the cheaters “gain an unfair advantage, they ruin games for people who are playing fairly, …we take cheating seriously, and we’ll pursue all available options to make sure our games are fun, fair, and competitive for players.”

The action against cheaters comes at a time when many game developers are taking aggressive actions against hackers and cheaters. As games like the ‘Fortnite’ do not charge any money for playing but depend on revenue that comes from charging players for different tools they buy within the game, any manipulation is seen as economically counter-productive.

Questions have, however, been raised against the action which targets common users more than the sites and organised groups that make a profit by these hackings. “They are using a 14-year-old child as a scapegoat to make an example of him,” the mother of the teenager who has been sued was quoted saying in the report.

While there is widespread acceptance of the fact that the companies have the right to defend their games, many believe that this should not end up affecting their relationship with the common users.